1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a technology for providing an instant messaging service in a third-party service linked to the instant messaging service.
2. Description of the Related Art
An instant messaging service refers to a service for enabling a user connected to an Internet network or a mobile communication network to transmit, receive, and check an instant message in real-time through a messenger. In related art, the instant messaging service is mainly provided through personal computers (PCs). However, there has recently been a rapidly increasing tendency to provide the messaging service through portable terminals, such as smartphones.
In general, the instant messaging service has mainly focused on a user's chatting with acquaintances and provision of file transmission and reception functions. However, as user demands have diversified and competition between messengers is growing, a need to provide various functions in addition to basic functions of the messaging service has gradually increased.
Therefore, a third-party service linked to a messaging service is increasingly provided separately from the messaging service. The third-party service refers to the practice of a provider of the instant messaging service, or a separate third-party service provider, providing a supplementary function that links with the instant messaging service. For example, the third-party service provider may provide a supplementary service, such as a game, in the instant messaging service or through a separate application. In this case, the third-party service provider may enjoy a game with acquaintances by using friend relationships set in the instant messaging service.
As described above, the third-party service frequently uses the friend relationships set in the instant messaging service linked thereto, and the user may have more opportunities to interact with his/her acquaintances or friends due to the characteristics of the service. However, in order for the user to use a messaging service in an existing third-party service, an inconvenience exists wherein the user must terminate the third-party service and then separately execute the messaging service. Therefore, there is a need for a method to efficiently use the messaging service in the third-party service.